Pathetique
by Leper Messiah
Summary: Sometimes a simple change in routine can throw everything off-balance. When Remus and Sirius find themselves alone together for the first time, the two friends slowly discover there might be something deeper driving their friendship. RLSB and M eventually
1. Happy Christmas

**Pathetique**

**Chapter One**: Happy Christmas

* * *

Two days after Christmas few lights shone from the slivered windows of Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, and in the dark the school blended gently into the frozen Scottish hills. The normally harsh winter kept most students at home during the holidays, even as this year's snow drifted from the night sky in soft cotton puffs, coating the spindly towers of the dark castle with a downy sheet of pristine white, like frosting on a fragile cake.

Alone in Gryffindor tower, sixth-year Remus Lupin sprawled on his bed in a house robe reading, hair wet and cheeks red from a warm shower. Lazily he sipped butter beer from its container, reveling in peace and quiet that was soon to be shattered.

Mere moments later the dusty haired boy's sensitive ears perked at the sound of footsteps running against marble, and he barely had time to kick the half-empty bottle under the bed before the door swung open, slamming hard against the stone wall of the dormitory. In walked Sirius Black.

"Dammit, Pads, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Remus slammed his book closed and glared up at his strangely out of breath friend. "Git."

Sirius shrugged, lobbing his few belongs towards his bed. A well-practiced throw, the bags sailed expertly past the thick curtains and landed with a dull thud on the mattress.

"You didn't tell me you were here for the hols," Sirius surveyed the room, eyes landing on his friend, "What are you doing here?"

Remus wiped his mouth and cleared his throat.

"Reading."

"Bloody surprise."

"I was at home for a week or so. But the change is always easier here."

Sirius nodded and sat down on his bed, taking a deep breath. A split second later his shoes were kicked off and he was on his way to the stairs leading to the girls' tower.

"Don't bother," Remus called, "no one there."

The light footsteps stopped.

"Sorry, mate."

Sirius reappeared around the curve of the staircase, sighing. He returned to his bed, slinking under the curtains.

"What are you doing here, Pads?" No answer came from the canopied bed. Remus tried again, "I thought you were home through New Years, big party and what as usual."

Still no answer. Rolling his eyes, Remus stretched and walked over to his friend's bed, pulling aside the drapes. Sirius was curled up on the bed, picking at the bedclothes, staring off into space.

"Earth to Sirius Black?" Sirius rolled to the other side of the bed as Remus sat down. "Will you please get off your throne and act like a human being for once?"

Clearly not.

"Fine," Remus moved to get off the bed, "do what you will."

"I ran away."

Remus sat back down with a start.

"What?"

"You heard me."

Remus leaned over his friend, who watched him, expressionless.

"Did something happen?"

"Not any thing in particular." Sirius rolled onto his back, staring at the dark canopy above them, fingering the drapes for want of something to do. "I just couldn't take it anymore. I snapped, I suppose."

"I'm sorry."

"So am I," Sirius snorted, malicious grin masking his face, "as I'm now disinherited."

Remus stared down at his friend in shock.

"It doesn't surprise me in the least. After all, when I make my disgrace public, what else is there to do? Such an ancient and noble house surely cannot tolerate traitors in their midst." Another snort. "Arseholes."

Sirius sighed, stretching his neck back into the sheets. "Either way I'm out now and even if I could weasel my way back into their favor, I'm not sure I'd really want to." He sniffed the air briefly, turning to Remus for the first time. "Have you been drinking, Moony?"

The dark haired boy eyed his friend quizzically as he disappeared from his perch on the bed.

"Moony?" Sirius elbowed himself to a sitting position just as Remus returned with his almost drained bottle.

"Cheers."

Sirius eyed the bottle suspiciously as he took a swig.

"Cheers."

Remus stood by with crossed arms as Sirius wiped his lips with his sleeve.

"What will you do?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. This place is bloody barren at winter, isn't it?"

Remus rolled his eyes and sat back on the bed, grabbing the bottle back and draining it.

"I meant about home. Where will you go? You can't mean to stay at school forever."

"Well, I'm here now." He grabbed the bottle for a drink, not realizing its lack of contents. "Hell, Moony." Remus shrugged, and Sirius turned the thing over in his hands, reading the peeling label. He looked up in shock. "Is this mine?"

Remus shrugged again.

"You rotten bastard." Sirius hopped off the bed and skirted across the cold floor towards his trunk, prying it open and rummaging within. "Anyway, I've spoken with James and his parents are adamant I stay with them until this is sorted, but they've gone to France and can't be back till New Years. So in lieu of living on the streets for a week, here I am."

"Here you are." Remus sighed, his hopes of continued solitude dashed. He lay down on the bed, running a hand across his forehead.

"Here we are!" Sirius barked a laugh as he scooped a second handle of alcohol from the bottom of the trunk and hugged it to his chest. "Thank Merlin!"

With more spring in his step now, Sirius bounded back to the bed, pouncing the spot next to his friend and tearing mercilessly at the lid. Unsuccessful, he stuck the neck in his mouth and gnashed at the cap with teeth and tongue until it popped loose and tumbled to the bed. Gently picking it up, he placed it in Remus' palm, eyes glowing devilishly.

"Happy Christmas, Moony."

"Just what I've always wanted." Remus thumbed the plastic before flicking it off to some far corner of the room. Sirius guzzled the drink as if parched. Remus grabbed it from him and took another swig.

"So," Sirius began after a brief moment of thought, "What else is there to do in this creaky old castle?"

* * *

This story should inch towards M by the fourth or fifth chapter, so be forewarned. Second Chapter forthcoming and mostly written, but I wanted to see if anyone was reading before I posted it. What do you think so far? I'm trying to go for a more realistic approach to what could be the Remus/Sirius pairing.


	2. Whiskey and Women

**Pathetique**

**Chapter Two**: Whiskey and Women

* * *

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Sirius rubbed his cold hands together as the Marauder's Map appeared on the parchment in his lap. "Excellent. Let's see what our options are."

He quickly scanned the map for any sign of movement. The usuals were to be found in their places – Filch, Dumbledore, and a few other lonely professors, all burning the midnight oil.

"I half expected to see Snivellus wandering around the dungeons." Sirius said with a yawn.

"Why?"

"Seems the type who couldn't cope with any fun during his time off."

"Perhaps." Remus craned his neck to glance over the map. "Here you go." He pointed towards a bubble moving along the dungeons towards the Hufflepuff common room. "Janice Delahunt."

"And here's Wendy Williams," Sirius mulled over another blip idling in Ravenclaw tower. "She's sixth?"

"No, Seventh."

Sirius frowned, biting his lip.

"Helped me on Herbology a few years back. She's quite nice, actually."

Sirius snorted.

"For a Ravenclaw."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Forgive me Moony, but on a cold winter night I prefer some warmth."

"Right." Remus looked at his hands, feeling a bit naive. Though Sirius had mentioned company he hadn't assumed he'd meant that kind of company. "Janice it is."

* * *

Unfortunately for Sirius, Janice had declined their invitation. But Wendy had obliged with great enthusiasm and an hour later all woes were forgotten as the three drunken schoolmates giggled on the floor of Gryffindor tower.

"Moony, if you've ever kissed a girl, I'd know about it. He's a justifiable puritan."

Remus stared up at the ceiling, saying nothing. Sirius turned to him with a sideways grin before peeling the label from the bottle and throwing it in his direction.

"Told you so." Sirius laughed. Wendy joined him, her musical cackle echoing through the stone walls. She rolled onto her side, head in her palms, and stared at Remus.

"And you're in sixth year? You must be joking!"

Remus shook his head and remained silent.

"It is quite pathetic," Sirius half-smiled, "though I dare say we could do something about it right now. If we wanted."

"You mean if you wanted?" Wendy smiled slyly.

"No love." Sirius' reply was soft and insistent. He put his hands on Remus' shoulders and steered him towards the reclining girl. She sat straight up, face puzzled.

"Right now?"

"Why not?" Sirius looked at Remus, now paying full attention. "I would like to see him get some before I die. Unless of course Remus has got cold feet."

"Not at all." He smiled gently, rising to meet Wendy. "That is unless the lady objects …"

"Of course not."

She darted forward, quickly brushing her fingers against his dry lips. Sirius expected him to blush at the sudden contact, but instead Remus smiled and closed his eyes, gently removing her hand and entwining their fingers by his side.

Sirius never fancied himself a voyeur but something about the sweet kiss before him, the gentle way Remus held her chin, tilting her face towards him, tickled something deep down in his belly. He felt a blush rise as he grew flustered – watching their exchange was more uncomfortable than he would have imagined and the quiet of the room had sobered the trio unexpectedly fast.

He felt out of place and prayed for something to mask the sticky sounds that filled the air, that made his heart twitch as he studied their closed eyes and open mouths.

Remus' eyes fluttered open, searching the room, inevitably landing on Sirius's steady gaze, if only for a second. A jolt ran through Sirius' gut. He knew he'd never kissed or been kissed so sweetly and so forcefully as Remus was kissing this girl. He was jealous.

"Done yet?" Sirius hoped the heat in his cheeks wasn't showing.

Wendy opened her eyes, blinking back into reality. She flushed red as Remus stared her down, reeling her in once more, tracing his fingers delicately down her cheek and jaw before brushing back her hair.

"So?" Remus asked, eyes mischievous and sparkling.

"You're a liar." She planted a quick kiss on his cheek and snaked her hand free of his.

They rose to their feet.

"Night, Remus." Sirius already had one hand on the door.

It took Remus a few seconds to realize it was he who was to go, and with an awkward nod he vacated the room, door closing swiftly behind him. The lock turned, and Remus found himself suddenly more alone than he had been before.

He sat at the base of the stairs, head in his hands. He could still hear giggling and scuffling from upstairs, so with a sigh he made his way into the common room and curled up on the hard sofa.

* * *

I swear the next chapter will appear faster than this one has.


End file.
